Hello and welcome to our third blog as we come to the end of another week in lockdown. I trust that you are all surviving, thriving and innovating.
I am not going to talk about the lockdown, the pandemic or the easing – as I am sure, like me, you read and hear more than enough about this from the news and the myriad of social media outlets we are all hooked up to these days.
I thought instead, I would look forward. Glasgow was due to host COP26 in November 2020. This is the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (previously held in Madrid in 2019) and the rescheduled event is now planned for November 2021.
Having said I wasn’t going to talk about the pandemic, I thought it useful to point out that since COVID-19 took hold, greenhouse gases have dropped sharply as industry and travel have been curtailed. Experts, however, warn that pollution will soon bounce back if climate action is not taken.
Furthermore, there have been widespread calls for governments to ensure the economic recovery from the pandemic is green – investing in renewables, home insulation, public transport, cycling and tree planting to both boost jobs as well as improve quality of life.
The Scottish Government is already committed to delivering a net-zero emissions Scotland – recognising the delivery of this is hugely beneficial to the environment, our people as well as our overall prosperity.
The Scottish environment and economy are intrinsically linked, and Scotland’s transition to a more prosperous, net-zero emissions economy is already well underway. The Scottish Government have created jobs and backed innovative new industries while winning international respect for our ambition and leadership on climate change and in bringing about this change, Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions have already been reduced by almost half from the 1990 baseline.
Here in the west of Scotland, Sustainable Glasgow aims to make this City one of the greenest in Europe. The Partnership's diverse projects are invested in improving the quality of life in the city, boosting the economy and protecting the environment.
Projects cover everything from the installation of LED street lights and electric car charging points to the creation of renewable energy schemes and green jobs. The council-led initiative was formed in 2010 to make Glasgow a world-leading centre for sustainable policy, innovation and action. It has partners from housing, communities, business, enterprise and education.
Innovation is key to assisting in the successful delivery of a cleaner and better life for all of us. If you are involved in innovative and sustainable projects that you would like to share with us, please get in touch and we will be happy to showcase the work your company are involved in and share some of the innovative practices taking place within GCID.